Governor Stein Proclaims North Carolina Grape Month

North Carolina Grape Month

2026

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, North Carolina is the home of our nation’s first cultivated wine grape, the Scuppernong – our state fruit – discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh’s men growing wild on Roanoke Island in 1585; and the Scuppernong led North Carolina to become the leading wine-producing state in the United States before Prohibition; and 

Whereas, today, the grape industry continues to be a vital part of the agricultural diversification practiced by many of North Carolina’s farmers; and more than 525 commercial grape growers maintain more than 3,360 total acres of vineyards with a total value exceeding $570 million, supporting tens of thousands of jobs; and 

Whereas, North Carolina is unique in that every major type of grape – Vitis Vinifera, French American hybrids, Labrusca, and Rotundifolia – is used in wine production; and these quality products provide North Carolinians and other consumers with a most versatile and nutritious commodity as fresh fruit or wine; and  

Whereas, through the cooperation of grape producers, the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council, North Carolina State University, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, wineries are flourishing across the state; and 

Whereas, our state currently has nearly 200 wineries, including the most visited winery in the United States, and many new vineyards and wineries are in the developmental stage; and 

Whereas, major studies of health and nutrition indicate that fruits contribute in important ways to the prevention of certain diseases, including cancer and high blood pressure; and  

Whereas, leading health authorities, including the United States Surgeon General, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society, recommend that Americans eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day for better health; and 

Whereas, the North Carolina grape industry continues to focus its promotional efforts on our rich diversity of grape and wine products; state wineries and vineyards significantly enhance tourism by providing unique travel destinations, green space, and aesthetic appeal for family events focused on picking and eating fresh grapes;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim August 2026 as “North Carolina Grape Month” in North Carolina and commend its observance to all residents.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-first day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-sixth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first.